Bama Central

Live Blog: No. 14 Alabama Softball at No. 12 South Carolina (Game 3)

Score updates and analysis as the Crimson Tide looks to secure a series win over the Gamecocks.
Hunter De|
April 6, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski (23) delivers a pitch at Rhoads Stadium Saturday. Alabama downed Ole Miss 5-1.
April 6, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski (23) delivers a pitch at Rhoads Stadium Saturday. Alabama downed Ole Miss 5-1. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

It is the final week of the regular season and there are huge matchups all around the SEC including Sunday's game between No. 14 Alabama and No. 12 South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina.

This is the third and final game of the three-game series as the Crimson Tide run-ruled the Gamecocks 13-1 in five innings on Thursday evening and South Carolina silenced Alabama 3-1 on Friday night and Saturday morning (rain and lightning postponed the game in the third inning last night).

Saturday morning's result put both teams in a tie in the SEC standings. The winner of Saturday's game at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network clinches a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament.

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A tarp was put on the field at 2 p.m. and the restart time is still unknown.

DELAY 2 at 1:35 p.m. CT: Alabama softball said the game was "close to restarting" but another lightning strike occurred within the radius to add another 30-minute delay.

DELAY: LIGHTNING STRIKES IN THE AREA DURING THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH INNING. THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A 30-MINUTE DELAY

  • Top of the Fifth: Vandagriff doubled to right center after a missed diving catch but Alabama had three ground-outs during the frame. The Gamecocks defense made a couple of nice plays during the frame.
  • Bottom of the Fourth: Kristen White subs in for Johnson and Vandagriff moves to left field while White goes to center field. Third baseman Brooke Ellestad makes two nice catches, including a fast line-drive out. Hodges walked back-to-back batters and then gave up an RBI single to catcher Lexi Winters, who had the Gamecocks' lone hit in Game 2 (a three-run home run in the first inning). Third baseman Ella Chancey followed Winters in the exact same fashion to increase the margin. Emily Winstead subbed in for Hodges. SOUTH CAROLINA 7 ALABAMA 2.
  • Top of the Fourth: Alabama batters go 1-2-3, including the first strikeout for Lamb.
  • Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy had some high expectations for the Crimson Tide during his in-game interview with SEC Network...
  • Bottom of the Third: Braya Hodges subs in for Johnson and starts strong with two strikeouts in the frame. Heivilin made a diving stop but couldn't get to the ball in time to throw the runner out at first. Heivilin proceeded to get the runner out at second but Hawkins missed the throw to first base.
  • Top of the Third: Alabama fights back a bit. Left fielder Lauren Johnson doubled with one out and then was brought home via a single down the right field line by second baseman Kali Heivilin. However, Giles' perfect series ended with a fly-out. SOUTH CAROLINA 5, ALABAMA 2.
  • Bottom of the Second: Briski gives up her perfect game with back-to-back-to-back walks. She had 10 consecutive balls thrown. Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy was irate on one of the called balls and the home plate umpire gave him a warning. The Gamecocks entered Saturday with the seventh-most walks in the country. Left fielder Emily Vinson's single up the middle brought in two runs. In the very next at-bat of this massive two-out rally, Center fielder Quincee Lilio's double sailed just over Vandagriff's glove and two more runs scored. Briski was taken out for Alea Johnson, but on her first pitch she gave up a single up the middle by second baseman Karley Shelton for the fifth run of the frame. SOUTH CAROLINA 5, ALABAMA 1.
  • Top of the Second: Giles doubled to boost her weekend in Columbia to 7 of 7 at the plate. She was the lone offensive weapon on Saturday morning for Alabama in Game 2 as she recorded the Crimson Tide's only two hits (Alabama had three hits on Friday night before the postponement). Giles then slid home from second after shortstop Salen Hawkins' RBI single up the middle. After walking first baseman Abby Duchscherer in the next at-bat, South Carolina pitcher Sam Gress was taken out for Nealy Lamb. ALABAMA 1, SOUTH CAROLINA 0.
  • Bottom of the First: Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski starts Game 3 strong with two groundouts and a strikeout. Briski was the Crimson Tide's starting pitcher in Game 1 against South Carolina on Thursday and had a very solid outing. In four innings, Briski allowed one run with three strikeouts and a walk on 76 pitches in the 13-1 run-rule victory.
  • Top of the First: Alabama's offense goes 1-2-3 to start. South Carolina's fielders played a big role in this frame as third baseman Ella Chancey had a diving catch in the first at-bat against Alabama center fielder Audrey Vandagriff and Gamecocks shortstop Brooke Blankenship had a leaping throw to first for the third out.

Starting Lineups:

Alabama

South Carolina

1. Audrey Vandagriff, center field

1. Quincee Lilio, center field

2. Lauren Johnson, left field

2. Karley Shelton, second baseman

3. Kali Heivilin, second baseman

3. Arianna Rodi, first baseman

4. Brooke Ellestad, third baseman

4. Lexi Winters, catcher

5. Marlie Giles, catcher

5. Ella Chancey, third baseman

6. Salen Hawkins, shortstop

6. Brooke Blankenship, shortstop

7. Abby Duchscherer, first baseman

7. Abigail Knight, right field

8. Alexis Pupillo, designated player

8. Emma Sellers, designated player

9. Larissa Preuitt, right field

9. Emily Vinson, left field

Pitcher: Jocelyn Briski

Pitcher: Sam Gress

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Published
Hunter De Siver
HUNTER DE

Hunter De Siver is the lead basketball writer for BamaCentral and has covered Crimson Tide football since 2024. He previously distributed stories about the NFL and NBA for On SI and was a staff writer for Missouri Tigers On SI and Cowbell Corner. Before that, Hunter generated articles highlighting Crimson Tide products in the NFL and NBA for BamaCentral as an intern in 2022 and 2023. Hunter is a graduate from the University of Alabama, earning a degree in sports media in 2023.

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